Brash to Announce Policy to Take On Bad Teachers and Schools

ACT Party Wellington Regional Conference, 2.30pm, Sunday 21 August, Museum Hotel, 90 Cable Street, Wellington

In a keynote address to the Party’s Wellington Regional Conference on Sunday, ACT Party Leader Don Brash is set to announce an education policy package that ACT plans to push hard for in the next Government.

Dr Brash said his speech may rile teachers’ unions but that he expected it to resonate with parents.

“There will be a strong focus on children and parents and the type of policies that would ensure them the best education outcomes.

“The number of children who leave school unable to read or write is a national disgrace. It requires bold solutions and that includes removing the protection afforded to bad teachers and failing schools.

“Good teachers should be rewarded on performance and bad teachers must be held accountable.

“Likewise bad schools – if a school is not performing, and no one wants to send their children there, they should not be forced to do so through zoning. It compounds the disadvantage already suffered by people in such zones.

“I will be announcing policy that would deal effectively with bad schools while creating opportunities for all parents to send their children to a good school.

“Education badly needs an overhaul, and most in Government would privately agree but take an easier-said-than-done attitude. ACT has a plan that would affect wholesale change for the good, and we have the political backbone to take on the unions and fight for parents and children.

“I will be announcing a policy package that would dramatically increase the quality of education in New Zealand, and we will make this a top priority in the next Government,” said Dr Brash.

ENDS

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